Like Godzilla returning to Tokyo, Corrosion of Conformity returns to Raleigh and levels the town with their unstoppable destructive force.
Corrosion of Conformity brought their Live Life Loud Tour to the Lincoln Theatre in their hometown of Raleigh, NC. Any time Corrosion of Conformity visits Raleigh is a cause for celebration and this evening was no exception.
If a band could be possessed by the devil, but in a good way, that’s the opening band The Native Howl. Identifying as a “thrashgrass” band, The Native Howl perverts the American roots music genre into a double bass drum, 180 beats per minute insanity that would horrify Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys.
The Native Howl caught the Lincoln Theatre audience totally off guard with a blistering set no one saw coming. Thrashgrass sounds comical but these four musicians were seriously talented. Playing for roughly 30 minutes The Native Howl set the bar for speed and intensity for the evening and left the audience scratching their heads trying to figure out what the heck they just experienced and why they loved it so damn much.
Spirit Adrift is the solo project lead vocalist and guitarist Nate Garrett started before he joined Arizona-based death metal band Gatecreeper on rhythm guitar. Strong influences from early Dio and Black Sabbath come through in Nate’s songwriting, foreshadowing the groove and heavy hooks of the night’s headliner.It’s likely only a matter of time before Spirit Adrift becomes a far more popular band. Their sound is like a combination of heavy bands such as Mastodon and Godsmack with a “Holy Diver” Dio-like singable groove. The band delivered a headliner quality set and over-achieved their duties to rile up the audience and get the stage ready for the return of a local legend.
When Corrosion of Conformity took the stage at the now very full Lincoln Theatre, it was immediately clear how beloved the band is here in their hometown. Forty years have passed since Corrosion of Conformity first blended punk and metal and tonight the band showed their appreciation to their hometown fans with an incredibly loud and heavy setlist to which the audience knew every word.Bathed in shadows and blue light, bassist Mike Dean opened the show with deep yet piercing audio feedback as the band took the stage before tearing into the opening song, “Bottom Feeder.” Whereas headbanging was the preferred audience show of appreciation for the opening bands, an instant mosh pit opened up. Anywhere you looked people were smiling and having the time of their lives. To fans in Raleigh, this wasn’t just any metal show, this was THE metal show of the year.
The setlist contained material from the band’s back catalog of albums and included favorites “Who’s Got The Fire” and “Stonebreaker” before closing out the night with an encore containing “Albatross” and “Clean My Wounds.” The setlist flowed incredibly well with no lull in energy nor time to rest.
Mike Dean was joined by guitarist and lead vocalist Pepper Keenan, lead guitarist Woody Weatherman, and drummer James Patterson of Cry of Live who is currently sitting in. The band looked comfortable as if it was a concert in the backyard of their long-time residence. Totally in control and clearly loving the energy in the room, Corrosion of Conformity looked as if they were having as much fun as the audience.
From start to finish the evening was a high-energy, joyous celebration of metal music in all its forms. Those who arrived late missed out on two incredibly strong opening acts before Corrosion of Conformity who delivered a top-notch memorable show guaranteed to hold over fans until the band visits again.
